The present invention relates to a two-stage water-saving structure of a faucet in which when the switching/controlling bar is shifted for opening the water exit, the switching/controlling bar is first halfway stopped by a certain stopping force to half-open the water exit. Therefore, the water exit is prevented from being opened to maximum extent at one time. Only in the case that larger amount of water is needed, a greater force can be exerted onto the switching/controlling bar to discharge larger amount of water as necessary. Therefore, the water can be saved.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional faucet structure which includes an inner switching/controlling valve assembly 10, a bar seat 20, a locating pin 30, a switching/controlling bar 40 and a housing 50. The inner switching/controlling valve assembly 10 is composed of several controlling valves. Two engaging hooks 11 are symmetrically disposed on two opposite sides of the bottom of the inner switching/controlling valve assembly 10. The other two opposite sides thereof are respectively disposed with two locating blocks 12. The top face of the bar seat 20 is formed with a central rectangular bar hole 21. A lateral side of the bar seat 20 is formed with a pin hole 22 passing through the bar hole 21. The switching/controlling bar 40 is a rectangular bar. The bottom end thereof is disposed with a downward extending semispherical switching/controlling head 41. The front and rear faces of the lower section of the switching/controlling bar 40 are formed with &lt;-shaped stop faces 42 the middles of which outward protrude. A lateral side is formed with a pivot hole 43. The top of the housing 50 is formed with a bar hole 51. Two opposite sides of the bottom are symmetrically formed with two hook slots 52. The other two opposite sides are respectively symmetrically disposed with two locating recesses 53.
When assembled, as shown in FIG. 2, the switching/controlling bar 40 is first placed into the bar hole 21 of the bar seat 20. Then the locating pin 30 is passed through the pin hole 22 of the bar seat 20 and the pivot hole 43 of the switching/controlling bar 40 so as to pivotally locate the switching/controlling bar 40 in the bar hole 21 of the bar seat 20. Then the bottom face of the bar seat 20 is attached to the top face of the inner switching/controlling valve assembly 10 with the switching/controlling head 41 fitted in the water exit of the inner switching/controlling valve assembly 10. Then the assembly is received in the housing 50 with the switching/controlling bar 40 passing through the bar hole 51 of the housing 50. Also, the locating blocks 12 of the inner switching/controlling valve assembly 10 are engaged in the locating recesses 53 of the housing 50 and the engaging hooks 11 are hooked in the hook slots 52.
In use, as shown in FIG. 2, when the switching/controlling bar 40 is shifted up and down, the switching/controlling head 41 thereof controls the extent to which the water exit of the inner switching/controlling valve assembly 10 is opened. The upper the switching/controlling bar 40 is shifted, the more the water exit is opened and the more the discharged water is. When the &lt;-shaped stop faces 42 of the lower section of the switching/controlling bar 40 abut against the inner wall face of the bar hole 21 of the bar seat 20, maximum amount of water is discharged or the water is shut off.
The above conventional structure has some shortcomings as follows:
When shifting the switching/controlling bar 40, the amount of the discharged water can be adjusted. However, the switching/controlling bar 40 can be so easily shifted that the switching/controlling bar 40 is often directly shifted to the maximum amount, especially by a child. This results in great waste of water resource.